Dihydrochalcone Explained

Dihydrochalcone (DHC) is the organic compound with the formula C₆H₅C(O)(CH₂)₂C₆H₅. It is the reduced derivative of chalcone (C₆H₅C(O)(CH)₂C₆H₅). It is a white solid that is soluble in many organic solvents. Dihydrochalcone per se is often minor significance, but some derivatives occur in nature and have attracted attention as drugs.^[1]

Natural dihydrochalcones

thumb|left|Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone is a commercial artificial sweetener that features the dihydrochalcone substituent.

• Aspalathin, a C-linked dihydrochalcone glucoside found in rooibos, a common herbal tea
• Naringin dihydrochalcone, an artificial sweetener derived from naringin
• Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, an artificial sweetener derived from citrus
• Nothofagin, a C-linked phloretin glucoside found in rooibos
• Phloretin
• Isosalipurpurin

Dihydrochalcones (3′,5′-dihydroxy-2′,4′,6′-trimethoxydihydrochalcone (methyl linderone) and 2′-hydroxy-3′,4′,5′,6′-tetramethoxydihydrochalcone (dihydrokanakugiol) can be found in twigs of Lindera lucida.^[2]

Notes and References

1. 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0010(20000515)80:7<1073::AID-JSFA568>3.0.CO;2-B. Flavanones, Chalcones and Dihydrochalcones - Nature, Occurrence and Dietary Burden. 2000. Tomás-Barberán. Francisco A.. Clifford. Michael N.. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 80. 7. 1073–1080.
2. A dihydrochalcone from Lindera lucida. Yuan-Wah Leong, Leslie J. Harrison,, Graham J. Bennett, Azizol A. Kadir and Joseph D. Connolly, Phytochemistry, Volume 47, Issue 5, March 1998, Pp. 891-894,